


the nightmare before nightmare

by sunshineandeyebrows



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Blood and Injury, Fear, Ghosts?, Happy Ending, M/M, Major Character Injury, Major character death - kind of, Monsters, No Smut, Panic Attacks, a lot of spooky and bad stuff happens, don't count on any monster fucking, halloween through and through, it's a horror fic okay, see the end notes if you wanna know exactly how it's possible for it to end well, there is a smidge of romanse, we're going stuff that doesn't let you sleep baby, your (my) paralysis demons
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:01:40
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,025
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27315202
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunshineandeyebrows/pseuds/sunshineandeyebrows
Summary: “Fu…n…Fun…! FUN!!!”
Relationships: Lee Donghyuck | Haechan/Lee Jeno, Mark Lee/Na Jaemin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 31





	the nightmare before nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> my boy mark has it rough here ngl
> 
> i made a playlist but when you reach the dot (•) i recommend playing Deja vu by NCT DREAM :)
> 
>  **PLEASE READ THE TAGS!!!**  
>  for those who want to know how it can be "kind of" a major character death and also a happy ending, see the end notes!!!
> 
> **prompt by the wonderful ivy, check outher twt!!!!!!!!!!**
> 
> HAPPY HALLOWEEN, ENJOY!! 👻

"There is no way we're going in there."

"What?" Jaemin whines immediately. "Why? It's _The Nightmare Before Christmas_ themed!"

"Do you really need to ask me why?" Renjun pointedly raises his eyebrows, and they all turn to look at Jisung in perfect unison.

Jisung's long fingers are almost white, clutching Chenle's sleeve like he'd die, if he let go. He's fidgeting, his restlessness setting Mark's teeth on edge.

"Yeah, guys, let's just-" Mark starts, but then Donghyuck opens his mouth, and it only gets worse from there.

"What, are you scared, Huang?"

Renjun stills. His expression darkens, and when he looks at Donghyuck, there is the telltale squint to his eyes.

"You fucking wish," he grits out.

Mark rubs his eyes tiredly.

"So we're going?!" Jaemin exclaims, a huge grin lighting up his face.

"Well, I mean," Jeno starts, stealing glances at the haunted house like it's his forbidden crush and not an entertainment spot for kids, "one of us could stay here with Jisung, while the rest goes in-"

"What?! No!" Jisung protests immediately. "I'm not five! If everyone is going, then so am I!"

"You can't cling to me, though," Chenle tells him.

"Or me!" Renjun yells quickly.

"Or me!" Jeno repeats after him.

Donghyuck and Jaemin exchange a look.

"I don't mind," Donghyuck shrugs.

"You can cling to me all you want, Jisungie," Jaemin coos, reaching out to pinch Jisung's cheek.

Jisung grimaces and escapes, hiding behind Mark. Mark survives through the ridiculous second of desperately wanting Jaemin to pinch his cheek in exchange for Jisung's, and then sighs.

"Let's just get this over with."

Jaemin, Jeno and Chenle cheer. Donghyuck sends Renjun a smug grin. Jisung's fingers clench in Mark's sleeve this time.

They get tickets and stand in line behind a group of kids. They look kind of ridiculous; Mark can't spot anyone who'd look older than ten. But Chenle is word vomiting about his hopes for an actually scary experience, Jeno is trying to distract Jisung, Jaemin is pointing at the decorations he likes best, and Renjun is teasing him by criticizing every last one of them. It's not even a minute later that Mark hears them bickering over plot and characters of _The Nightmare Before Christmas_. Jaemin's hot when he's passionate, and Mark wonders, if it would be okay for him to cling to him as well, since Jisung was allowed to do just that so easily.

"You're staring," Donghyuck whispers in his ear, startling him. Mark glares at him, but his ears are probably getting red already, and it's not like Donghyuck has ever in his life felt chastised or intimidated by anyone, but especially by Mark. "I bet you're thinking about using the haunted house as an excuse to hide in his manly arms," Donghyuck adds, batting his eyelashes in an exaggerated manner.

"Dude!" Mark hisses, clamping a hand over Donghyuck's mouth hastily. "Shut up! What if he hears you!"

"What if who hears you?" 

Mark whips around to find himself in the direct path of Chenle's wide-eyed, curious gaze. Donghyuck slaps his hand away with a disgusted grimace.

"No one!" Mark squeaks embarrassingly high.

Chenle's eyes narrow.

"Jeno," Donghyuck tells Chenle.

"What?" Jeno asks, turning around to look at him.

"Mark thinks you're cute," Donghyuck says with a poisonous smile.

Mark has never wanted to strangle him this much. Chenle makes a little "ooh!" in understanding. Jeno looks at Mark and his eyes curl along with his mouth.

"Really? Oh, man, that's sweet! I think you're cute, too!"

"God help whoever ends up crushing on this thick dumbass," Donghyuck mutters quietly in resignation.

Mark glances at Jaemin to see his reaction, but Jaemin is still talking to Renjun up ahead, seemingly oblivious to the whole exchange. 

"Don't worry," Donghyuck murmurs into his ear again right before they're allowed to go in, "he looked."

Mark wants to see his face to check, if he's not lying just to stir things up, but then someone pushes him and they're inside, plunged into darkness with a faint green light coming from unidentified direction, and Donghyuck's face is strange and wicked. Unease squeezes Mark's gut without a plausible reason.

"It's so quiet," Renjun whispers.

"They must have great soundproofing," Jaemin says, looking around curiously.

"Wasn't it supposed to be _The Nightmare Before Christmas_?" Chenle asks.

The inside looks nothing like the outside did. There are no Jack Skellington figures nor any spirally, purple decorations. They're in what looks like a normal, albeit appropriately creepy house.

"Guys," Jeno gathers their attention, "didn't we just come in?"

"Yeah?" Jisung's voice is barely audible.

"But there are no doors here," Jeno says, pointing at the wall behind them.

Mark fights an unpleasant shiver and takes a breath.

"It's probably just like, a trick, you know? Let's get going, the next group can't enter until we leave."

The kids agree, relieved to have a clear direction, and Mark exhales, a bit comforted. They move together through the hallway, Donghyuck's hand curling around Mark's elbow.

The silence is eerie. The floorboards creak under Renjun's foot, and Mark realizes that the lack of sounds from outside isn't the weirdest - it's the lack of sounds from the _inside_. A house like this should be groaning under its own weight and age, but it feels like it's holding its breath instead. Mark can't help but think it's for their benefit, so that nothing stands in the way of them catching the sounds that really matter. Actually, benefit might be the wrong word here. Mark doesn't expect whatever they _do_ hear to be a good thing.

"What now?" Chenle whispers.

They've reached the end of the hallway. There are two possible paths to choose. Stairs leading down into darkness and a door to their left. Mark is so tense by now that he can feel the muscles between his shoulder blades tingle uncomfortably. Donghyuck's fingers have almost cut off circulation in his forearm.

They're all looking at him, waiting for a decision.

"Maybe we should-" Mark starts unsurely.

"We're not separating!" Jaemin cuts in immediately.

His voice is like thunder in the lifeless space. Then again, maybe it's not lifeless but simply waiting. Mark pushes the thought away as soon as it appears.

"No one's suggesting that," he says as calmly as he can.

Jisung looks like he'd clamber into Jeno's hoodie pocket, if there was any chance he'd fit. Donghyuck is almost as quiet as the house around them.

"Let's check what's behind the door?" Mark suggests.

Both options are creepy in a different way, but going down somehow seems like A Very Bad Idea.

"Not me!" Chenle whisper-yells, and a chorus of _not me’s_ immediately follows.

All eyes focus on Donghyuck, who was just a bit behind the rest. _There is more eyes than there should be_ , Mark's brain hisses at him, but he refuses to entertain that particular thought as well. Donghyuck's hand slips down Mark's arm to lace their fingers together in a vicious grip. Jeno and Jaemin's gazes follow the movement, and it's silly how Mark's stomach tightens excitedly at the heaviness in Jaemin's eyes. He shakes himself off and grimaces when Donghyuck's hold strengthens even more, but bites back the wince. They make the three steps to the door together. Mark's heart is about to jump out through his throat. He's sweating, his back going numb from the tension. The air is so still, it's hard to breathe. Donghyuck raises his hand.

"Wait," Jeno says suddenly.

Donghyuck pauses. He's trembling, his breaths coming quick and shallow.

"Can you hear that?" Jeno asks.

Jisung lets out a tiny broken whimper, but the silence doesn't come back after it. Mark can barely feel his fingers, but he's acutely aware of how slippery they are.

The sound is hard to identify. The closest word would probably be scratching. It's quiet, but impatient, getting closer, drilling itself into Mark's brain and tingling awfully somewhere low in his spine. Donghyuck's fingers tighten impossibly more. They all just stand motionlessly and listen for two agonizingly long seconds, then realization hits. The stairs. It's coming from down there. Their options just got limited to one. 

Donghyuck seems to realize it at the same time. He flings the door open, pulling Mark with him to the other side. Mark's focus is now solely on getting everyone through, doing headcount three times to be absolutely sure they haven't left anyone back there with that horrible sound and whatever is making it. Then, he helps Donghyuck shut the door behind them.

They're plunged into complete darkness and complete silence once again. Mark clears his throat, and it erupts like a gunshot. Donghyuck lets out a shaky breath. Their hands are sticky with sweat and overheated, but Mark would literally rather die than let go.

"Okay, guys, we're fine," he says quickly, trying to convince himself. He doesn't say this is supposed to be just a stupid haunted house for kids, because he stopped thinking about it like that right after it started. It wouldn't reassure anyone, anyway. "We're cool, let's just grab each other's hands for now, yeah?"

They huddle together by the door, breaths uneven and clammy hands reaching out to find one another. Mark closes his eyes to stop himself from straining them, when it's completely useless. There is no difference between having them open and closed.

"Let's check, if everyone's here," Renjun suggests.

His voice cracks twice, but no one points it out. It's not the time for teasing.

Mark takes a breath and calls each of them by names, receiving quiet, tense confirmations. He goes by age, which leaves Jisung for last. When Mark says his name, a whispered "here" comes from two directions. 

It takes Mark a second to process that. He tells himself it was just his imagination, just his brain tricking him, but then everything freezes, as they all hold their breaths.

"Jisung," Jaemin says too evenly, "squeeze the hands you're holding."

Mark waits. He has Donghyuck on one side and Chenle on the other.

"Okay, who felt that?"

No matter how Mark sees it, more than two voices answer with "me" or "I did". His heart is hammering so fast, he feels a little faint. He should do something, there's clearly more of them than it should be, he should do something to make sure they're safe, that they get out of here in one piece, but he doesn't know what to do at all. Panic is like acid, bubbling in his stomach and quickly eating its way up his throat. He should-

There is a yelp, then a dull thump, and Mark bites down on his tongue to stop himself from screaming. He can't let the panic win. They're all counting on him to keep a cool head, to get them out. If he loses it, the rest will definitely lose it, too.

"Renjun!" Jaemin hisses.

"What's going on?" Donghyuck demands, holding on to bravado with everything he's got.

"Mark," Jeno says. He sounds strange. "I need you to open that door."

"But that sound from earlier-" Chenle starts.

"We'll deal with it somehow, right now I need to _fucking see_ ," Jeno cuts him off, and Mark lets go of Donghyuck's hand immediately.

He has never, in his entire life, heard Jeno use that tone of voice.

He pries the door open somehow, the faint, greenish light flooding into the room. Jisung lets out a sob, then curls around Chenle, crying quietly into his neck. Mark's blood runs cold as soon as he spots Renjun lying in a heap on the floor, Jaemin checking on him with a grim expression. Jeno steps out into the hallway, pulling Donghyuck, who refuses to let go of his hand, along with him. As he rushes to Renjun's side, Mark remembers about the noise from before, but it's gone.

"What happened?" Donghyuck asks. He sounds winded, like he just ran a marathon at full speed.

"There was something there with us," Jeno says. He's pale and pacing back and forth, dragging Donghyuck after himself. "Something that sounded like Jisung and felt like Jisung. When Jaemin told him to squeeze the hands he's holding, Renjun and I felt it, even though Jisung was on the other side, between Chenle and Jaemin. And then," he pauses and takes a breath, then another and another, until Donghyuck has to talk him down, pressing their foreheads together and repeating "in" and "out" over and over and over again.

Renjun doesn't seem injured, just fainted, and Jaemin pulls his legs up, placing them on his bent knee, while Mark strokes his hair and scans the room as far as the light reaches. It's just a room. There is nothing there.

"The hands," Jeno gets out finally, but his forehead is still touching Donghyuck's, and his eyes are closed. "The hands Renjun and I were holding just- they slipped out and- Renjun didn't- it was probably just too much for him."

Renjun wakes with a quiet groan, and then thrashes as soon as he remembers. Jaemin shushes him gently, but doesn't try to touch him. Mark withdraws his hand as well. Renjun is sobbing and whimpering and cursing in turns, he scoots back away from them both, and the panic is back in Mark's lungs. No matter what they say, Renjun doesn't react, doesn't hear them at all, and it's starting to feel helpless. Mark is about to reach for him and hug him forcefully, but then Chenle says something in Mandarin, enunciating it carefully and clearly, and Renjun snaps out of his daze. Mark waits, unsure of what the best course of action is now, but then Renjun's face scrunches up, and he clambers into Jaemin's arms, sniffling. Jaemin holds him tightly, murmuring reassurances, and Mark finally relaxes a little.

"Guys," Chenle mumbles suddenly, and he sounds a little stunned. "There are no other doors here."

Something cold and awful crawls down Mark's back. He didn't think to check before, but now that he looks around again, he realizes Chenle is right. The only door is the one they came through.

"Does that mean we have to," Donghyuck whispers, turning away from Jeno to look at Mark with wide eyes; his throat clicks and he clears it, "that we have to go down there?"

He, Jeno and Mark glance towards the stairs leading to the floor below. It still looks the same as before - the lower, the darker, the end not visible from their place.

"I don't wanna be here anymore," Jisung whines wetly. "Can't we just tell them we give up?"

Mark really wants to tell him that yes, they can give up, he'll contact the staff right away and tell them. But the walkie-talkie they gave him in case of emergency doesn't work, and-

"I don't think we're in the haunted house that we're supposed to be in," Jaemin says.

Yeah, and that. This doesn't feel like something made for kids, there are no plastic skeletons and no blinking lights, no cotton spider webs, no appearing suddenly holographic ghost dogs, no Oogie Boogie and his bugs, nothing. There is just this house that wants something from them, and they don't know what it is.

"Then where are we?" Jisung whispers, still clinging to Chenle with all his might.

And the biggest problem is the lack of answer to that question. If they knew where they are, they could maybe figure out how to leave.

"We'll be fine," Mark says, trying to convince all of them, himself included. "We just have to move forward. We'll get out eventually. Let's get this over with."

Right now that's all he wants. To get it over with. And there is no other way to do that than to go down those creepy ass stairs.

"Guys, check your phones," Donghyuck says suddenly.

Right. Mark wants to punch himself. That's such a basic thing and he didn't even think of it.

They all pull out their phones, but not one seems to be working. Mark was expecting lack of reception or some malfunctioning, but they don't even turn on. He takes a deep breath.

"It's okay," he says and hopes they hear confidence that isn't there. "It doesn't matter, we'll get out just fine. Renjun?" 

"Yeah," Renjun says, voice hoarse but unwavering. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

"Jisung?" Mark asks next. Jisung's eyes are impossibly wide, when he straightens from his hiding place that is Chenle's shoulder and looks at him. Mark rakes his fingers along his scalp to make himself think. "How about you walk between Lele and me?"

"T-The whole time?" Jisung asks.

"We won't leave you behind, dumbass," Chenle huffs, and Mark is a little shocked Chenle is the one who seems to be holding on to reason the most successfully.

Something feels off for a minute, but then Mark notices how shifty Chenle's gaze is, how carefully he's controlling his breathing, everything just to appear calmer than Jisung, and the natural order of the universe is restored. Mark isn't sure if Chenle is trying so hard because he treats everything as a game that he can win or because he wants Jisung to feel safer. It's pointless to attempt guessing, Chenle is too chaotic, and they have other things to focus on right now.

"Okay," Jisung nods, taking a few calming breaths that flutter his bangs.

Mark's head is starting to hurt from the green light; it's too faint to see clearly right away, and his eyes are working in overdrive.

"Jen, you good?" Jaemin asks.

Mark glances at him curiously. Jaemin isn't a leader. He prefers to keep quiet, when decisions need to be made. He doesn't press and doesn't really argue, unless it's something extremely important. Jaemin is a weirdo. He's unpredictable and random. He likes to tease and flirt, and he can be so obnoxious, Renjun kicking or strangling him is an almost everyday occurrence. But he's also supportive. Warm and reliable. He rounds them up when it's needed and nags at them like an exasperated mother. He works well with Mark and Jeno, covering the more subtle aspects of their relationship as a group. 

Mark has never seen him afraid. He's not sure what Jaemin is scared of, what makes him nervous or anxious. And it seems Mark won't find that out even here, in this strange, terrifying place. Jaemin doesn't show any signs of the situation affecting him, other than seriousness. His gaze is determined, visibly strong even in the horrible light. Mark suppresses a shiver; this is not the time to be gay, they have to move.

"I'm fine," Jeno answers, even though he leans on Donghyuck for support while standing up.

Mark can't see Donghyuck's face clearly, but he does see his hand, which is gripping Jeno's own with probably the same intensity as it gripped Mark's before. The two of them will be okay.

Jaemin and Renjun don't separate for even a second, so Mark leaves them as well. He focuses on the youngest two, one of which is shaking uncontrollably and the other of which is telling the first one to control the shaking. Mark sighs and then grabs Jisung's hand, squeezing it comfortingly. Jisung tries to send him a smile, but it looks like a grimace more than anything.

They go down the stairs in little groups. Jeno and Donghyuck go first, Mark, Jisung and Chenle follow, and Jaemin and Renjun bring up the rear of their formation. Soon, they stop seeing anything and have to rely on touch and hearing alone. Someone is breathing a bit harshly, but Mark doesn't ask in case it's not any of them.

"Ah, shit," Donghyuck hisses suddenly.

A droplet of sweat slides down the back of Mark's neck.

"What is it?" he asks quickly.

"The stairs end here, watch your step," Jeno says.

It sounds almost too casual for the situation they're in.

"Do you feel any wall or something?" Chenle questions.

That sounds definitely too casual for the situation they're in.

"Nothing in the closest area," Donghyuck says.

His voice wavers a little bit.

Mark was already prepared for that answer. After all, the wall he had been sliding his hand along when they started descending ended at some point. They might be in a corridor or in a hall, and there is no way to check unless they're willing to find a wall and then walk the entire expanse keeping close to it. Mark's brain tells him they'd hear their voices echoing, if the room was big, but he can't trust the laws of physics in this place.

"We have to find some starting point, though," Jaemin says from right behind Mark.

His voice is low and a little raspy, and Mark shivers, as the warm breath hits his nape.

"Are you all absolutely sure your phones don't work?" Renjun asks.

Mark reaches to his pocket with his free hand and fishes out the device. No matter how many times he presses the start-up button or how many times he shakes the phone and hits it against his thigh, it doesn't light up. The rest gets the same result.

Suddenly, Mark realizes he can see his hand. For some reason, that makes his anxiety levels spike.

"Kids," he whispers, and no one speaks a word, even though they always bitch when he calls them that, "are my eyes weird or is it brighter?"

It's not enough to see their surroundings clearly, the room still sinks into darkness a few feet ahead, but he can tell where each of them is standing now.

"I don't like this," Donghyuck whispers.

Mark agrees.

"Let's move," he says.

"Where?" Chenle asks.

Jisung's hand is cold and sweaty clasped in Mark's own.

"Forward," Mark answers.

They don't really have any other option. A shadow moves in the corner of his eye, and Mark forcibly convinces himself it was his imagination. They start walking. Someone is breathing heavily again, and Mark doesn't ask who it is this time either. The floor isn't covered with wood like it was upstairs, it's rough and gritty, concrete perhaps.

After just a few feet, Donghyuck lets out a quiet yelp and steps back, right into Mark.

"What is it?" Renjun, who must have bumped into Jisung from behind, hisses urgently.

"I think I just," Donghyuck starts, pauses, takes a breath to collect himself. "I stepped into something gross."

"It's okay," Mark murmurs, holding him up. "Take Jeno and walk around it."

"Yeah," Donghyuck pants. 

Then stops moving completely, his breath stuttering to a terrifying stop.

"Hyuck?" Mark asks.

"Jeno," Donghyuck whispers, barely audible. "Where is Jeno?"

Mark doesn't understand what he's asking for a long second. Then, it feels like a hole opens under his feet and swallows him, his stomach swooping wildly, disgustingly.

"What do you mean?" Chenle says, a slight irritation seeping into his voice because of the distress. "He was right next to you, you were holding hands."

"I let go when I stepped into that gross stuff," Donghyuck says too evenly. 

He's still barely breathing, and Mark squeezes the back of his neck to anchor them both.

"Jeno!" Jaemin calls, loud and angry, and Donghyuck and Jisung both flinch against Mark.

"He's not answering," Renjun says quietly, panic evident in his tone.

"He must be here somewhere," Jaemin grits through his teeth. "People don't just disappear where they stand-"

"Shh!" Chenle hisses suddenly. "Listen!"

It's that unidentified sound from before again, this time coming from somewhere behind them, quiet but insistent, urgent, like hundreds of tiny nails scraping chalkboard. It raises the fine hairs on Mark's nape, runs in cold chills down his spine, twists his insides and numbs his face.

"Run," he chokes out.

"But Jeno-"

"We'll look for him later, I promise we'll find him, but for now, let's get the fuck out of here, come on!"

There is no time for a discussion, for guilt or despair - the sound is getting closer. They run, holding on to each other to make sure no one else disappears. There is not enough light to tell if they're not running in circles, but the scratching is there, always behind them, and they can't hesitate even for a second. Mark desperately doesn't want for the sound to reach them, he never wants to know what's making it. The concrete floor soon gives way for something else, something wetter and even more uneven, and then their feet collide with what feels like decomposing flesh and bone, squelchy and crunching under their shoes. It smells like it, too, rot clogging their throats, making their eyes water, but they run and run and run, until they can't anymore, and then finally, _finally_ , Mark crashes into Donghyuck's back.

There is a moment of chaos, of urgent questions hissed into the darkness and harsh panting, as their lungs try to go back to properly functioning again, and then Donghyuck opens the door he ran into, all of them sleeping through in a mad rush, limbs flying everywhere, frantic until the wood falls back into place in its frame.

Mark coughs, and it feels like he's going to spit out some of his organs, everything burning and spinning, his legs shaking and numb. He's covered in sweat and fear, and he loses himself in it for just a second, lets himself fall into it, focuses on himself and how much he wants it to end already. Then, he gets a grip, because the kids need him, and he has to be there for them.

He scans for any immediate danger, looks at every single terrified, exhausted face in turn, and that's the moment it really hits him. They left Jeno behind. He needed them, and they left him there, with that horrible noise.

He hears the slap first, feels the sting on his cheek later. Donghyuck is looking at him with fire and tears in his eyes, and Mark remembers suddenly, ridiculously, the words Donghyuck said before they went in. _God help whoever ends up crushing on this thick dumbass_. It feels like years ago, but Mark connects the dots only now, staring, stunned, at the face of his best friend, who is seconds from breaking down. Donghyuck likes Jeno. Donghyuck likes Jeno who is now missing and alone. Donghyuck likes Jeno that he was forced to leave behind.

"Pull yourself together!" Donghyuck hisses viciously, wiping his eyes with an impatient swipe of his hand. "We have to find him!"

Mark nods, dumbfounded still. Sounds of retching reach them, and they turn to look at Jisung bent in half under the wall, Jaemin patting his back. Chenle, standing next to them, looks exceptionally green himself. It's not from the sickly light from before, though. That one is gone. They're in a hallway similar to the first one, except that this one is lined with doors on one side, windows on the other. The light is colorless, coming from outside, as if a few lampposts are standing outside. Mark looks down at his shoes. They're covered with brown, reddish goo, and he quickly stops looking.

"Those are windows," Renjun wheezes out, and Mark realizes that holy shit, _there are windows here_.

Renjun and he scramble to them in an instant, Donghyuck hot on their heels. They should be underground right now. They're three stories up.

"What in the everloving fuck," Donghyuck mutters.

"Whatever, look for something to smash them," Renjun says, his rationality winning over his fear with a clear purpose like this right in front of him.

"It looks like hospital property or something like that."

Mark flinches, unprepared for Jaemin's low voice right next to his ear. He didn't even notice when Jaemin walked up to the windows.

"It does," he mumbles.

Jaemin smells of sweat and Jisung's puke and that decomposing stuff they stomped over before, but he emanates warmth right behind Mark's back, and that serves to calm him down, even if only a little.

The scenery outside is that of sadly looking, rather large piece of grass of unidentified color, an occasional tree sticking out here and there like a depressed skeleton. There really are a few bleak lampposts, their light barely reaching them, but still immensely comforting. No road of any kind can be seen, the narrow pavement leading into murky darkness. It's almost impossible to distinguish the sky from the ground farther ahead.

"Wonder where we ended up," Jaemin hums, but it's not uneasy or sad, just mildly curious.

His front is now plastered to Mark's back, as he holds him up, quiet and natural like a heart attack. Mark's blood is still pounding in his ears, but it's only half from running now.

"How is Jisung?" Mark whispers, careful not to ruin this small moment.

"He's fine." Jaemin shrugs, lightly enough not to jostle him. "Water would be great, though. For the rest of us, too."

"Fuck, there is literally nothing here!" Renjun growls.

He and Donghyuck have been looking around for any hard objects to smash the windows with this whole time, but the hallway is almost bare. Mark checks the frames, but just as he thought, they don't give at all.

"We should move forward, guys," he says.

"And what about Jeno?"

It's Chenle who asks this time, uncharacteristically timid.

"I have a feeling he's not anywhere near that place he disappeared at anymore," Jaemin says.

His hand skims Mark's side to warn him he's going to move. Mark somehow manages to support his weight on his own, his skin tingling.

"We're opening every door," Donghyuck says.

None of them dare to protest. They move fast down the hallway, most of the rooms empty in a strange, dreamlike way, as if they haven't had enough time to fully form. Some of them end in vague darkness that is more lack of anything than lack of light. It makes Mark uneasy, leaves a niggling feeling at the back of his head, like he's two steps away from finding the answer, like it's on the tip of his tongue and completely out of his reach at the same time.

Some of the rooms aren't empty. Those are filled with malicious shadows reaching for them as soon as the door cracks open, or with shapeless, groaning monsters, or with agonizing screams.

Adrenaline gets them going, pushes them forward, door after door, room after room, only one thought running through their minds - to find Jeno no matter what.

The hallway seems endless, Mark's head is spinning, a motionless face smiles at him from the middle of the next room, the figure making a step towards him. Mark shuts the door and moves on, trying to erase the sight from his memory. He can't give in to fear, not until they're all there, not until they're out of this horrible place.

The doors end; another set of stairs looks at them quietly. This one also leads down, and Mark remembers about the circles of hell, how the highest one is the least awful. The lower, the worse, and the house keeps making them descend.

"Come on," he says gravely, and takes the first step.

The rest follows him without a word. It's impossible to say which they are more - scared or exhausted.

They don't have to be so cautious this time, because the light doesn't disappear. A hand curls around his arm, and he gives back a squeeze he hopes is reassuring. Donghyuck is trying hard to control his breath next to him, but he's trembling like a leaf in the wind. Mark glances back to check on the rest. Jisung doesn't look quite so green anymore, but his bangs are plastered to his forehead with sweat, and he's dragging his feet, knuckles white with how hard he's gripping Jaemin and Chenle's hands. The two wear unreadable expressions, but Mark figures they're mostly fine. Renjun looks pale and tired, but his eyes gleam with determination.

They reach the floor below, and it looks exactly the same as the floor above. Mark is attacked by an overwhelming feeling of helplessness.

"We're opening every door," Donghyuck repeats, and the sense of Deja vu is horrifying.

 _We're going to stay here forever_ , runs through Mark's mind, but he immediately banishes the thought.

"They won't let us leave," Jisung sobs suddenly, and it's harsh like a whip in the silence of the house, makes them all flinch.

"Oh, they'll let us," Jaemin says darkly, gathering Jisung in his arms. "These motherfuckers can't stop us from leaving."

It might not be true, but the confidence in Jaemin's voice provides a bit of desperately needed reassurance. Renjun and Chenle exchange a few words in Mandarin, then Renjun pinches Chenle's cheek to a grumbling protest from the younger. Mark takes a fortifying breath and reaches out for the first doorknob.

"Someone's there," Donghyuck whispers.

The brief moment of relative calm is over, a tiny candle flame snuffed out without a warning. Mark stills, blood whooshing in his ears and almost making him dizzy. He slowly turns his head to follow Donghyuck's gaze.

In the dimness of the hallway, a silhouette can be seen. It's moving towards them slowly, dragging one foot, as if something's not quite right with it. Mark can't see their face yet, but they don't look like another piece of nightmare. They look human.

"...Jeno?" he asks.

There is a chance. He doesn't recognize the way the person moves, but maybe it's because of the foot. 

They stop walking for a second. Then, "Mark?"

Mark's knees almost buckle from the intense relief that floods him. Donghyuck lets out a strange sound. They all approach the figure in a hurry, but stop just a few feet short. Jeno looks like he had to fight for his life, clothes torn and messy, bruises blooming on his face and hands, blood dripping slowly from his head.

"Oh thank fuck," he breathes, fingers clutching his thigh, "you were gone so suddenly, I didn't know what to do. You won't believe what I went through, there was this-"

"You're not Jeno," Donghyuck cuts in quietly.

Mark feels it like a jolt to his spine.

"Hyuck, what are you talking about?" Renjun asks, anger clear in his voice.

Jeno looks at Donghyuck for a long second. There is something in his eyes that makes Mark want to take a step back.

"Of course I'm Jeno," Jeno(?) says slowly.

"You're not," Donghyuck, contrary to what Mark wishes to do, takes a step forward. "You're too quiet."

"I've been talking this whole time."

"I meant your body language," Donghyuck scoffs. Takes another step. "Jeno is often quiet verbally, but nonverbally, he doesn't shut up."

Maybe that was the off feeling Mark got, when he spotted Jeno, the difference in signals that they've all gotten familiar with without even noticing. This Jeno has been awfully still the whole time, despite his haggard appearance, despite the urgent tone of voice he used when he tried to tell them what happened. Communication isn't just words, it's also gestures and posture and a bunch of other things.

"Donghyuck, this isn't funny," Jeno(?) says, still eerily motionless.

Donghyuck takes another step. Mark wants to stop him, and he also wants to believe that this Jeno is their Jeno. He reaches out, desperate to find something that would ground him before he completely slips. A hand grabs and squeezes his own, and he can still somehow breathe.

"And Jeno's mole," Donghyuck is almost in front of not-Jeno, "is under his left eye."

 _That's not true_ , flashes through Mark's mind, but he doesn't have time to figure out Donghyuck's intentions, because not-Jeno's face changes. It darkens and warps, and his mouth cracks open up to the edges of his jaw, and his eyes drip black. Mark shouts a warning, but it's too late; a dark, clawed hand wraps around Donghyuck's throat. Donghyuck chokes, Jaemin hisses a curse, Mark is torn between running to help Donghyuck and turning on his heel to flee.

"Got you," Donghyuck gurgles. Mark can't see his face. "The mole is- ugh, on the right."

Mark finally starts moving, Renjun right behind him, but then an echoing crack fills the narrow space of the hallway, and the creature loosens its hold on Donghyuck's neck. There is a second of confusion, when nothing really happens, and then the monster falls to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

"Are you nuts?!" the real Jeno yells, letting the crowbar clatter to the side and panting harshly. "Why did you get so close?!"

Donghyuck pouts at him begrudgingly.

"You wouldn't have stood a chance otherwise, you ungrateful punk!" he grumbles, massaging his throat.

Mark isn't exactly sure what happened, but there is no time for a casual conversation. Jeno doesn't look half as bad as his impersonator did, but he is limping, clothes ragged, and Donghyuck doesn't waste time stepping over the creature and rushing over to him to hold him up.

"Good to have you back," Jaemin says with half a tired grin.

Jisung is crouching, legs probably too weak to hold his weight after what just happened. Chenle runs to Jeno as well, stepping on the creature without a care in the world. Mark sure hopes it's dead.

"This will come in handy," Renjun hums, picking up the crowbar. He steps on the creature, too. "Sorry I didn't notice," he mumbles, touching gently Jeno's arm.

Jeno shakes his head, patting his arm firmly and managing a smile, smothered by Donghyuck and Chenle in a tight hug.

"Let's go?" Jaemin says, pulling Jisung up and grabbing Mark's hand too easily.

Mark nods, fighting conflicting emotions and his exhaustion.

They make it to another staircase that leads, unsurprisingly, down.

"Did you come from down there?" Donghyuck asks Jeno, and once the silence is broken, the others attack Jeno with questions as well.

"Were you hurt?"

"What took you?"

"Where did you find the crowbar?"

"Did you see any other monsters?"

"Have you found a possible way out?"

"Guys," Mark admonishes them tiredly. "Come on, let him breathe."

Jeno throws him a grateful grin over his shoulder.

"So?" Donghyuck nudges him, ignoring Mark completely. "Did you come from there?"

"No," Jeno says, as they come to a stop on top of the stairs. "The only stairs I took lead down."

As expected, physics are useless in this place, Mark thinks, sighing. But Jaemin is still holding his hand, and they're all together again. It could have been a lot worse. Donghyuck leans closer to Jeno for just a second, enough to touch his forehead to Jeno's temple and pull away.

"By the way," Jeno says suddenly, "do you smell puke?"

Jisung looks somewhere to the side, pretending he didn't hear, but it's not that simple.

"Jisung totally threw up from being too scared!" Chenle reports.

Jisung squawks indignantly, and Jeno chuckles, hugging Donghyuck and Chenle closer.

They slowly make their way down and into another hallway. This one also has windows, and Renjun swings the crowbar as soon as he spots them. The sound of glass breaking is deafening. Mark instinctively shuts his eyes and squeezes Jaemin's fingers. Then, he hears something else.

" **No…!** "

Mark opens his eyes at the worst possible time, the shards of glass that should have fallen outside blowing back at them as if swiped by a strong gust of wind. He raises his arms to cover his face, and surprised yells and pained gasps reach him through the ringing in his ears.

“Renjun, get away from there!” Jaemin shouts.

“Fuck!” Chenle huffs.

He and Renjun were the closest and are now standing as still as possible to prevent the small pieces of the window from moving around where they’re stuck in the skin of their faces and hands, blood sipping slowly through their clothes. Mark stares in horror, heart in throat, completely frozen.

“What the fuck just happened?” Jisung asks faintly.

“We’re okay,” Renjun winces. “The cuts are mostly shallow.”

Chenle nods slowly, but he’s paling quickly, and Mark moves before his brain processes it. Chenle collapses right into his arms, breathing shallow, a dark stain growing rapidly on his t-shirt at the stomach level.

“Chenle!” Jisung’s scream is shrill.

They all gather around Mark, who’s spiraling hard and fast, because no way, this can’t be happening, this is not possible-

A laughter.

Mark whips his head up, but there is nothing there in the hallway with them. He doesn’t know where the sound is coming from, it’s impossible to guess the direction.

“Do you hear that?” he asks desperately. 

“Chenle, hold on for just a moment longer, we’ll get you out of here real soon and you’ll be okay-” Jaemin is saying calmingly.

“Don’t be a pussy, Chenle, Renjun is winning with you,” Donghyuck adds, frantic, doing all he can to lighten up the atmosphere, but his voice sounds wet.

Renjun plucks a small piece of glass out of his arm without taking his eyes off of Chenle for even a second, as if he can’t feel the pain at all. He’s speaking in Mandarin, hushed but steady. Jisung and Jeno are quiet, holding Chenle’s hands and digging out the tiniest shards from Chenle’s skin.

“Hear what?” Jeno asks.

The laughter is getting louder, echoing.

“Someone’s laughing- you guys seriously don’t hear it?” Mark asks.

The sound is scratchy and uneven, like an old recording. Mark keeps Chenle steady, but he has the fight the urge to cover his ears.

“No one’s laughing, Mark,” Jisung whispers breathlessly.

“Laughing?” Chenle wheezes.

“It’s nothing,” Jisung says quickly. “Focus on your breathing.”

Mark can barely hear the words by now. He grits his teeth, but it doesn’t help; Chenle’s blood is warm, where it drips on him.

“Shut up,” he mumbles, then louder, “Shut up!”

The laughter doesn’t stop, but a voice joins it, distorted and somehow familiar, although Mark can't place it.

“It **’s** y… **ou** r fa **u…l** t… yo **..u let m** …e t **ou…c** h yo **u…** ”

“I didn’t!” Mark yells.

He’s so scared, he can’t think straight anymore.

“Mark, who the hell are you talking to?!” Donghyuck hisses.

Mark doesn’t answer, too agitated to pay attention to anything other than the voice and the laughter.

“Y…o **u di** d… an **…d no** w… yo **u wi…ll** s…u **ffer…** ”

An awful realization hits him suddenly. It’s the same as that sound from before, the one following them and scraping against their minds.

“Why!” he asks, voice breaking slightly. “Why are you doing this?!”

“Mark!” Jaemin calls him.

But Mark ignores him, his own name barely making it to his ears.

“ **To… m** a…k **e you… se** e… ho… **w mu…ch I s** u…ffe **re…d… h** ow s…ca **r…ed I w** …as… th **i…s w** ho…le t… **ime…** ”

The laughter gets louder, and Mark does cover his ears now, holding Chenle up with his torso. It doesn’t help at all, the noise distorts even more. It’s in his head, Mark thinks suddenly. _The voice is coming from the inside of his mind._

“Please, stop,” he sobs uncontrollably.

There are hands on him, warm and bloodied, but gentle, insistent. Mark doesn’t really register it. His friends can’t do anything, it’s been in him this whole time, it doesn’t want to listen to his pleas, it only wants to hurt them.

“F **u…n…** Fu **n…! FUN!!!** ”

“No, no, no, no, no, please, no,” Mark mutters, shutting his eyes tightly.

“ **You…r fa** …vor…i **t…e… I w** i…ll h **ur…t y** our… f **av…ori…te…** ”

“…What?”

Mark snaps his head up, his eyes flying open. The others are silent and still, matching expressions of horror on their faces. Jaemin is standing before them, struggling against a massive, black, clawed hand that seems to be shooting from the darkness behind him, from _nothingness_ behind him. It’s tight around his neck, and Jaemin is red from exertion, his feet kicking against the floor helplessly. For the first time since this started, Mark can see fear glistening in his eyes. That, more than anything, makes his blood run cold.

He shoots up from the floor, depositing Chenle into someone else’s lap, and he’s so close, almost there, a foot or two, and it’s _still not enough-_

The claws flex, the hand opens, and Jaemin’s throat is slashed in the span of half a second, maybe less. Mark only knows a whole eternity passes before he catches Jaemin and presses his trembling fingers to the gaping wound flooding the floor and both of them in red.

Jaemin chokes, clutching Mark’s wrists desperately, his eyes bulging and stunned. Mark is only half aware that he’s crying and cursing and pleading. Jaemin gurgles, and it’s the most horrible sound Mark has heard in his entire life, worse than the laughter still filling his head, worse than the scratching they heard earlier, worse than anything, because it’s the last sound Jaemin makes.

Mark throws his head back and _screams_.

•

All senses kick in at once, making him scramble and gasp for air, and choke on it. There are hands on him, trying to keep him from moving, a million voices at once, the musky scent of his own sweat, light, too much light, a copper aftertaste in his throat.

“ _Mark!_ ”

He flinches and looks up, right into Donghyuck’s piercing eyes.

“It’s okay, you’re okay,” Donghyuck says quickly. “You fainted, we took you to a bench, everything’s fine.”

Mark stares at him, uncomprehending.

“Mark…?”

Mark turns his head so fast, he feels something snap. Jaemin is standing behind a restless Chenle and a frowning Jeno, looking at Mark with concern. Mark sweeps a glance to Chenle and then Renjun, but both of them seem wonderfully glass-free. Then, he stumbles up from the bench and reaches out to Jaemin, cupping his face, pressing his fingers to Jaemin’s throat, and finally gathering him in his arms and hugging tightly. Jaemin hugs back, a bit unsure, but so, so warm and so, so _alive_.

Mark breaks down there and then. 

Jaemin holds him, letting out quiet, cooing noises, smoothing a hand over his head, until the rest joins them, and it’s one big group hug. Mark lets himself have this moment to calm down without wondering what happened. They can do that later. All of them are completely fine, completely unharmed. They’re still in the amusement park, the evening is orange and sleepy. Kids yelling excitedly can be heard all around them, typical, amusement park music blaring from the speakers set next to the attractions. There are no monsters, no creepy houses, no distorted voice and no blood.

“Excuse me!”

They unravel their hug to see who it is, and Mark recognizes the member of staff that gave him the emergency walkie-talkie before they went into the house. It feels like weeks have passed since that moment.

“I’ve brought a paramedic,” the person says, peering worriedly at Mark.

To get one of the amusement park’s paramedics wouldn’t take more than twenty minutes. For now, Mark refuses to believe it’s only been twenty minutes. He calmly sits through a checkup, and nothing seems to be wrong except for a lowered blood pressure. The paramedic gives Mark a piece of chocolate, tells him to visit the hospital to make sure it’s not an actual, serious condition, and receives a call about a broken arm through their radio, so Mark thanks them and sends them off. The staff member hovers around for a bit more, but once they’re reassured that the situation is under control, they wish Mark a pleasant rest of the evening and hurry off back to their post.

Mark sprawls on the bench, completely exhausted.

“What the hell happened to you?” Renjun asks quietly after a moment of silence.

Jisung falls down on the bench next to Mark, and Mark pulls him close without thinking. Chenle takes up his other side. Mark takes a deep breath, munches on his chocolate a little bit, and then tells them everything. Which apparently only happened in his head.

“And then?” Chenle asks excitedly, when Mark as nearing the end, having already described what happened to the window. “Did I die?”

Mark looks at Jeno, Jaemin, Renjun and Donghyuck’s feet without really seeing them at all.

“You don’t have to tell us till the end right now-” Renjun starts, while Jeno mutters to himself about the creature impersonating him.

“No,” Jaemin says, and his voice is so strong, it breaks Mark out of his daze. He glances up, but Jaemin’s face is unreadable. “Finish it.”

“I don’t know,” Mark says, speaking to Chenle, but looking at Jaemin. 

“But?” Chenle presses.

Jaemin’s eyes are blazing.

“But Jaemin did.”

Chenle gasps loudly. Jeno stops muttering. Everyone turns to Jaemin with wide eyes. Jaemin raises an eyebrow, his mouth stretching slowly into a lopsided grin, and it’s so sexy, and so not what Mark should be focusing on right now.

“Oh?” Jaemin hums, low, and for some reason, it makes Mark flush. “Did I, now.”

“Was it a dream?” Renjun wonders, breaking whatever was just happening between Mark and Jaemin.

“I don’t know,” Jeno says contemplatively, “you don’t normally dream, when you pass out. It’s not like you’re sleeping.”

“There was something there,” Mark mumbles. “Something that- that cut Jaemin’s-” he pauses. It’s too much to say it right away. “It talked to me,” he settles on, “that voice. It was strange and messed up, but it talked to me. In my head.”

“What did it say?” Donghyuck asks.

Mark tries to remember every distorted sentence.

“That it touched me,” he remembers that part, because it was the weirdest, “and that it’s going to hurt us.”

“Touched you?” Jisung repeats, puzzled.

“Did it?” Donghyuck asks, something a bit off in his voice.

“What?” Mark mumbles.

“Did it really touch you?” Donghyuck repeats.

Mark carefully scans his memories. It’s easier to do than after a dream, they don’t disperse so quickly. It must have been something else than his subconsciousness. He’s overjoyed that his friends aren’t hurt, but he himself can say goodbye to sleep for the foreseeable future.

“When we were about to go in,” Jeno says suddenly. “You were behind me with Donghyuck and you bumped into me. Was it on accident?”

Mark tries to recall that moment. It’s overshadowed by so many worse moments that happened after that. But only for him. The rest lived through that moment only half an hour ago.

“Someone pushed me,” he remembers so suddenly, it’s almost dizzying. “I thought it was a kid standing behind me, I didn’t even check.”

“Guys, that’s crazy,” Renjun tells them.

“Not crazy!” Chenle protests. “Just mysterious!”

“Spooky,” Jisung nods, shivering slightly.

“Ghosts aren’t real!” Renjun informs them.

“You believe in aliens!” Jeno says incredulously.

“That’s different!”

“Just as crazy,” Donghyuck sing songs.

Mark inhales slowly, the smell of popcorn and cotton candy tickling his nose. They’re okay. His legs are numb from relief. The usual squabbling is music to his ears. Chenle and Jisung jump up to be able to deliver their arguments more effectively, and before Mark can realize what it means, Jaemin is already claiming the spot next to him.

“It must have sucked,” he says thoughtfully.

Mark chooses to stare at his shoes, that are thankfully as white as always, no decomposing goo covering them.

“Here, right?” Jaemin asks, and Mark impulsively looks up to see what Jaemin’s asking. Jaemin runs his fingers over his throat. “With like, a knife?”

Mark feels a little silly now, in the warm, orange glow of the setting sun, surrounded by kids having the time of their lives. He feels silly about his fear, about his extreme reactions, about getting so serious about it, despite it happening in his own head.

“No,” he scratches his nape, steals a glance at Jaemin’s neck that is whole and beautiful and not bloody at all, “with like, claws. Huge claws.”

“Right,” Jaemin nods. He doesn’t laugh, although Mark was fully prepared for it. “Did you only see the slashing or…?”

“No,” Mark’s throat clicks painfully, “till the end.”

“You literally saw me die, huh,” Jaemin says.

His eyes, glossy and lifeless, flash through Mark’s mind. He closes his own to chase away the image, but then his shirt is yanked, and he looks, surprised, at Jaemin’s face that is suddenly way too close to his own.

“Stop remembering that,” Jaemin growls, and Mark’s stomach flips nervously. “That wasn’t me. I’m right here, okay? Right in front of you!”

Mark becomes aware of the silence around them, and realizes the rest of the kids moved their argument to the cotton candy stall. Donghyuck and Jeno are holding hands.  
Mark blinks at Jaemin.

“Are you- dude, are you jealous of the you that I saw in my head? Are you jealous of yourself?”

Jaemin scoffs, rolls his eyes, grumbles something under his breath, but his ears are pink. Mark, slowly and tentatively, lets himself smile. His stomach is flipping continuously, but it’s excitement more than anything now.

“Shut up,” Jaemin rasps, pulling Mark even closer by the collar.

Their mouths fit together in a chaste kiss, then another, and then Mark is giggling too much to continue. Jaemin sighs theatrically, but lets Mark hide his face in his neck, patting his head softly.

“I’m still not sure what happened,” he says quietly, rocking them gently back and forth, “but you’re safe, and the rest of us is safe, too. I guess therapy could be useful,” he adds, and Mark nudges him for the shit eating grin he can hear in his voice, “but we’re all fine. And ghost or whatever, I’d kick its ass!” He scoffs. “Getting killed first, seriously, what am I, a shitty American horror movie protagonist? Am I? I’m not! I wouldn’t die so easily!”

Mark lets him complain, exhaustion catching up to him slowly, until consciousness slips away, leaving a vague feeling of another body’s warmth and nothing else. 

He doesn’t dream at all.

**Author's Note:**

> SPOILER!!!!!! FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW THE ENDING!!!!
> 
> it's loosely inspired by Final Destination, that truly horrible movie from 2000. i watched it as a kid and it gave me nightmares and also apparently fic ideas like, fifteen years later. anyway, all the fucked up stuff happens twice in the movie - first when someone has a Vision, then when they fail to stop it from happening for real. that is not the case here. it all happens in mark's head and that's it. naturally, one could recall the mysterious words of a certain famous professor: "Of course it is happening inside your head, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?”
> 
> dear readers, i will leave you to do with that thought and this fic whatever you wish (except for being mean, do not do that, it's not the smartest to make me upset tonight! the moon is blue, after all...)
> 
> either way, markmin kiss at the end, so that's great :3 leave me a comment, if you get spooked, i wanna know if there is anyone else who got scared by this except for me... (i couldn't write at night, cause i would freak myself out :( ) 
> 
> COME SCREAM AT ME ON TWITTER!!!!


End file.
